Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In my view, it is glaring that a report would come back with what I clearly see as something having a 50% mark-up post the primary producer. That was the essence of what the Beef Taskforce was set up for. I will give Mr. Dowling the opportunity to come back to me when he has a closer look at the figures.

Another issue that came up, and Mr. Dowling responded to Deputy Fitzmaurice on this, concerned the age limit rather than the movement limits. In the veterinary certificates report, 33% of countries said they would accept product from 48 months and even up to 72 months. Were those countries prepared to pay premium price, although they were accepting the older beef? Did the Beef Taskforce question that if they were paying premium, why then would the factories not pay premium to the farmer for the post 30-month carcass, when, based on that report, they evidently had 33% of the countries surveyed as a market?